by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Let the good times roll... or you know, make your own good times to escape the darkness. Sweet Baby Jesus offer an escape with their full length debut Lyres Of Ur, an all shimmering, good times embrace of rock 'n' roll excess. It's not always sunny and it's not always positive, but the quintet of Sammy Weissberg (guitar), Paco Cathcart (guitar), Charlie Dore-Young (bass), JJ Fashad (drums) and Max Brown (vocals) make light from the dark, pouring their heart and soul into each track of twangy rock bliss.
Last month we had the pleasure of sharing "Dark Horse," the album's opening track, claiming "the band are tight and locked into their deep rock 'n' roll vibes," a sentiment that carries on throughout Lyres of Ur. Sweet Baby Jesus have a way of making the desolate feel jubilant, thanks in part to Weissberg and Cathcart's dueling guitar leads, Dore-Young's Motown influenced bass lines, and the immediate nature of Brown's impassioned howl. The album is fully realized and oft-blown out in a dusty Americana sort of way, borrowing from the classic rock era but folding in disparate influences to create a balance between jittery punk energy and southern-fried jangle. Tracks like the quick and anthemic "Amaryllis," the impeccable call-and-response of "Rock & Roll Queen," and the fidgety blues of "Birds of Paradise" are boisterous garage rockers at their core, built on the reckless spirit of rock 'n' roll.
The band peel back from their rambunctious state of existence from time to time, digging into the music's underlying soul on introspective songs like "Easy Rider," "Wild Wind," and "River on Fire". Lyres of Ur balances the endless grooves and screeching passion with a wild New York City soul and warm recordings that sound both fuzzy and alive. A glimmer of hope peaking out from the shadows, best played at loud volumes.
Sweet Baby Jesus' Lyres of Ur is out May 18th via HEC Tapes.
Upcoming Shows:
05/18 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Glove [Album Release Show] w/ Palberta, Gun Tit & Salt People
05/19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Magic Pictures w/ Old Maybe *
05/20 - Baltimore, MD @ House Show *
05/21 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Mr. Roboto Project *
05/22 - Cleveland, OH *
05/23 - Columbus, OH *
05/24 - Ann Arbor, MI *
05/25- Chicago, IL @ Bric-A-Brac Records *
05/26- Chicago, IL @ Hostel Earphoria *
05/27- St. Louis, MO @ Sinkhole *
05/28- Louisville, KY @ Green Room *
05/29- Cincinnati, OH *
05/30- Harrisonburg, VA @ Little Grill *
05/31- Washington, DC @ Bathtub Republic *
06/01 - Kutztown, PA @ Spaghetti House *
06/02- Flemington, NJ *
06/04- Brooklyn, NY @ Bohemian Grove *
* w/ Climax Landers